Former Christian Brother teacher jailed for 3½ years for sex abuse

A former Christian Brother teacher has been jailed for three and a half years for committing “barbaric” sexual assaults on boys in his class.

Sentencing James Treacy (75) at Limerick Circuit Court, Judge, Tom O’Donnell, said the victims were “unable to do or say anything” as they were “terrified and confused given their tender age”.

“The victims all recall being happy in school, until they entered the hell that fifth class turned out to be,” the judge said.

Treacy - who had 30 previous convictions for indecent assault on six more boys at the same school - “left a deep trail of destruction”.

Treacy, with an address at Ashford Close, Swords, Dublin, had denied 17 counts of indecent assault on his victims, whom he had taught fifth class in the 1970s. He was found guilty earlier this year on all counts by two juries, after being tried on two separate indictments.

“He shows a complete lack of remorse,” judge O’Donnell said at Friday’s sentencing.

The offences occurred “in broad daylight in a classroom”, the judge noted, adding: “I find it hard to fathom that no [OTHER] adult was not aware of [THE ABUSE]”.

Treacy showed no emotion as he was led away to begin his sentence.